“So please meet me in the plaza near your casa, I am only one and that is one too few, on an evening in Roma.”
Two blissful days in Rome where I definitely felt like the main character of my own story. Eager to live out our Lizzie McGuire fantasies, Roma was everything you’d expect and much more. Beautiful historic attractions, smiley folks from around the world, creamy, decadent gelato and copious amounts of pizza, pasta and wine.
The Rome Colosseum
After driving for 6 hours from Milan, we reached Rome around 3PM. Checked into our Airbnb which was absolutely beautiful, showered and sat down at a nearby restaurant to grab a bite and a wine before we set forth on our adventures of exploring Roma!
How to Buy Tickets to the Colosseum
We bought our combo tickets to the colosseum around 11am from CoopCulture.It included entry to THE Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. The Colosseum ticket was valid for the specific time that we booked it for, but the entrance to the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum is valid for a period of 24 hours from the time of your colosseum entry. So we planned to visit the Colosseum at 4pm (it closes at 7pm and last entry to the amphitheater is at 5pm), and head to the Roman Forum and Palantine Hill the next day.
Getting to the Colosseum
If you’re travelling by bus, you need to buy tickets from a newspaper stand, unlike Milan or Bergamo, you can’t buy tickets after you get inside. After you get through the ticket and security checks, you’re inside Italy’s most spectacular structures.
The Colosseum
Rome’s version of BBW – Big, Beautiful and Wrapped in history. As you enter, you’re met with a gallery of historic events, architectural details, relics and mini structures to maneuver through.
Once you get into the colosseum, pick your jaw up from the floor and keep moving. The Colosseum, and what’s left of it, is an architectural marvel. It’s hard to believe this was built 1000s of years ago by people who had no access to the type of machinery we have today.
We watched the sunset behind the colosseum from a cute restaurant, with a glass of vino, obviously before travelling back home. Eager for an early sleep as we had a full day of walking to look forward to.
But, first, our Airbnb’s hot tub and sauna needed a visit.
Trevi Fountain, Rome’s Magic Fountain
One word – crowded.
The Trevi Fountain was unapologetically as beautiful as you’ve seen in movies. Gigantic ivory statues, chatter and commotion in the air and a sea of girls in coloured, summer dresses with boys dressed to appease the old Gods – whether these Instagram boyfriends were brought here for sacrificial means or not, we have yet to discover.
One of the most unfortunate things about Rome (except the Colosseum), is that they expect everyone to know their history or simply book a tour guide (which is as common as their Greek-inspired heritage). As there were no history boards outlining the great story of the Trevi Fountain, we had to resort to our trusty Google – like any modern traveller.
Built in the 18th century, the Trevi Fountain is at the point where three streets meet. The three streets, i.e. tre vie, refer to the meeting point of an old aqueduct, which provided fresh drinking water to Roman soldiers.
There’s magic in the water!
Many Romans believed that the water had magical properties. Anyone who drinks from the fountains would ensure a return to the city. However, that was way back when the water was clean. Drinking from the fountain now might actually lead to a few odd diseases! The sip of water is followed by a coin toss to appease the ancient Gods. Roman soldiers often did this before they marched into battle, in the hope of returning home again.
Spanish Steps
One word – anti-climactic.
Remember the scene in The Lizzie Mcguire movie, where Lizzie ditches her group tour for an evening with Paolo, and he takes her to the Spanish Steps? Yep, that’s the one.
The Spanish Steps were literally – just a two way lined set of stairs that led to a church at the summit, offering an aerial view of the city of course. But why are there Spanish steps in the centre of Rome? Again, trusty Google came to our rescue.
Though the Spanish Steps are dedicated to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, a.k.a. the holy trinity of Christianity, the church at the top belongs to the French. So, which part of it makes it Spanish? The Spanish Embassy moved into the square, creating a religious connection from the Piazza di Spagna to the church.
Gelatos in Rome
We got gelato shortly after which wasn’t that impressive. Tip – move away from the tourist attractions if you want anything authentic – especially gelato.
The Roman Forum
With a few hours left in the day before the entrance to the Roman Forum closed at 5, we hopped on an electric scooter and carefully whizzed through the cobblestone streets of Rome, where I felt all my stored gelato, pasta and wine wobble thanks to the bumpy ride.
The Roman Forum was massive, complete with structures and remnants of structures.
One word – Get ready to walk and pretend you know the history of Rome that extends more than your school history lesson. or, better yet, hire a guide.
Where to Stay in Rome | Accommodation in Rome
We booked a lovely Airbnb that was within walking distance of many of the attractions in Rome, like the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. The Colosseum is a 30 min walk / 10 mins bus ride.
The Airbnb has 2 rooms, and 3 floors – the basement was fitted with a hot tub, sauna and a cosy lounge, the kitchen and entrance were on the ground floor, and the bedrooms were on the first floor.
Roman Cuisine
My body was built to enjoy and consume Italian cuisine. I indulged in copious amounts of wine, pasta and pizza (and the occasional sip of water) and have never been so completely in love with the charm and the attraction of simply being, of being content and satisfied, of being just inexplicably at peace. Turns out, 1/2 litre of wine for every meal does that to you!
So, if you’re looking for an action-packed, goodbye-feet 2 day itinerary in Rome, there you have it. Is 2 days enough to cover Rome’s attractions? Yes, but you’ll have to be on a tight schedule, and walk super fast!
Until next time,
Yours truly,
Imperfect Traveller
